FCC reorganizes its public-safety bureau

The FCC today released an order that make the Emergency Response and Interoperability Center (ERIC) a division-level office within FCC’s public safety and homeland security bureau (PSHSB) as part of a reorganization effort that also will rename three other divisions in the bureau.

Established a year ago, ERIC was created to develop a framework to ensure interoperability between 700 MHz public-safety broadband networks throughout the nation. By making ERIC a division that reports directly to PSHSB Chief Jamie Barnett, the new structure “will alleviate a cumbersome front office structure and provide for a more efficient organization within the bureau,” according to the FCC order.

In addition to change associated with ERIC, three PSHSB divisions will be renamed. The policy division will become the policy and licensing division; the communications systems analysis division will be renamed the cybersecurity and communications reliability division; and the communications outreach and operations division will become the operations and emergency management division.

According to the FCC order, “the new division names will be more descriptive of their actual roles and provide a better interface for the public at large.”

Committees in both the House and Senate approved the reorganization last week, according to the FCC order.